Universal lever coupling



Feb. 26 1924.

. A. MCEWEN UNIVERSAL LEVER COUPLING Filed July 13, 1925 @dem latentecl Feb. 26, 1924.

e yLVITED fST 'ALFRED MCEWEN, OF TARRYTOWN, NEW YORK.

UNIVEIRSAL LEVER- COUPLING.

Application filed July 13,

To all 1li/ioni it may 'conce/117i:

Be it known that I, ALFRED MollwnN, a citizen or' the Unitet States, and resident ot' 'larryto n, in the county of Westchester and State ot' N ew York, have invented cer tain new and usetul Improvements in Universal Lever Couplings, ot which theA 'following is a specification.

'lhisinvention relates to a universal coupling especially, though not. exclusively, designed for use in connection with the` primary and secondary reducing levers ot' engraving machines of the kind termed Micropautographs7 that is to say, machines whereby the motions ot' ordinary writing are transmitted to an engraving point and the written matter, in miniature, thereby engraved in a suitable record surface.

The object ot my invention is to provide tor primary and secondary levers a coupling having a universal joint that can be adjusted in relation to the fulcrum of the primary lever in a manner to secure a greater or less movement of the secondary lever by actuation of the primary lever, the directional movement oit the outer arm ot the secondary lever corresponding with, or being reversely ot that of the outer larm ot the primary lever, as desired.

According to my invention the coupling` in its preferred form, .comprises a. universal joint composed of an annular si'ipporting member and two oscillating members mounted thereon with their respective axes at right angles to each other; rods fixed centrally to the oscillating members so as to extend upwardly and downwardly theretrom respectively, and provision whereby said rods are slidably and adjustably secured to the reducing levers respectively, to constitute, `in etfect. parts thcrcot' with a universal joint therebetween, as will he hereinafter described and claimed:

ln the drawings--l Figure l is an elevation ot an engraving machine equipped with reducing levers einbodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section ot the uniii'ersal joint and its lever connections.

Fig. is a transverse horizontal section` as on the line S-I-l ot' Fig. 2.

The typical engraving machine herein illustrated comprises a base 5; standards rising therefrom and supporting a platform 7 and standards 8 rising trom the platt'orin and supporting a second platform 9. Ou

15%23. Serial No. 651,261.

the-ilatit'orms are mounted two co-operating systems of levers, viz., a vertical system operative to eliect the reduction ot' the motions producing'the original writing and to transmit them to the engraving point lt), and a horizontal system that supports the record surfacey 1l and is operative to control its position in relation to such point.

The reducing system to which my invention is applied embodies two levers l2, 13 suspended in endwise relation to each other Atrom `substantial gimbal bearings 14, 15 on the respectiveplatforms, which bearings constitute tulcra that permit the requisite lateral motions of the levers.

ln the infesent instance the shorter arm ot the upper lever comprises an L-shaped member 16 extending through the side of its gimbal bearing 1+i and carrying the mounting VlT for the engraving point lt). The

longer arm ot' the vlower lever depends in' proximity to the base 5 and is equipped with a suitable pencil holder 18, including a parallel inotion connection that permits the pencil to be. freely manipulated by the user and to be brought in writing Contact with and throughout the area ot' a sheet of paper or ,the like that is suitably clamped to the base.

The upper or shorter arm ot the lower lever is connected to the depending longer arm oi' the upper lever by my improved coupler, which, as illustrated, comprises a ring 1S): crossed bars 2O thereon provided with depending end portions 2l that are pivoted to the periphery ot the ring by cone-pointed screws, 22, and two vertical rods 23, 24 normally in true axial alignment with the ring; one rod 223 rising` from the upper cross bar and the other rod 2i depending from the lower bar. 'lhese rods are telcscopically 'titted in axial bores in the upper and lower levers respectively, so that the universal joint constituted by the ring and cross bars can be raised or lowered as dcsired in respect to the axis of oscillation ot' the lever 1?). in order to vary the relative lengths oi the associated lever arms; a set screw 25 being provided to secure the upper rod in its predetermined positions oi vertical adjustment. ly adjusting the rod Qvertically and securing it. in place. the universal joint. can be; nicelyv adjust-ed to effect a. greater or less movement of the upper lever, when the pencil carried by the lower lever is manipulated, and thus to transmit a proportionate movement to the engraving point, with, perforce, corresponding increase or reduction in the size oi the finishedv product. In other words, the universal coupler can be .nicely adjusted in relation to the tulcrum ot the lower lever to produce thesmallest possible results in the finished engraving, or it can be reversely adjusted to effect a corresponding increase in the size of the work.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the axes 22 oit the universal joint can be adjusted in such close relation to the gimbal bearing l5, that no appreciable rmotion will be transmitted to the engraving point, and that by predetermined upward adjustments ot the joint gradient increases in the movement ot the point will be eti'ected, such movement corresponding in direction with that o't the original writing. It will also be seen that if the universal joint be lowered to position its axes below the axes of the gimbal bearing 15, the motion transmitted to theengraving point will be'reversely of the original writ-ing and consequently the minute reduction thus produced may be used for printing` purposes.

lVhile I have .herein shown and described my novel coupler as applied to the reducing levers of a type of engraving machine it is to be understood that the device may be associated with the .compound levers of various other mechanisms.

I claimi l. The combination with primary and sec ondary levers having spaced apart fulcra, of a universal coupling -for said levers, said coupling comprising a universal joint element having two independently movable members, and adjustable connections between said` members and the respective levers, whereby the joint element can -be positioned with its axes above or below the tulcruni ot the primary lever.

2. The combination with primary and secondary levers having spaced apart fulcra, of a universal coupling for said levers, said coupling comprising a universal joint element having two independently movable members, oppositely-extending rods fixed centrally to the respect-ive members and having sliding connection with the adjacent levers, and means for securing one of said rods in a predetermined position of longitudinal adjustment in respect to its associated lever. j

3. The combination with primary and secondary levers having spaced `apart fulcra, of a universal coupling for said levers, said coupling comprising al supporting member, two oscillatory members mounted thereon with their respective axes at right angles to each other, oppositely-extending rods Xed centrally to the respective oscillatorymembers and adjustable longitudinally of the adjacent levers, and means for securing one of said rods in a predeterminedposition ot' longitudinaladjustment in respect to its associated lever. .l 1

et. The combination with primaryand secondary levers having spaced apart t'ulcra, ot a universal coupling for said levers, said coupling comprising a supporting' member, twov oscillatory members mounted ythereon with their respective axes at right angles to each other, oppositely-extending rods fixed centrally to the respective oscillatory mem bers and telescopically fitted to the adjacent levers, and a set screw for securing one oi said rods in Va predetermined position ot' longitudinal adjustment in respect to its associated lever. v

Signed at New York, in the county and State of New York, this 11th day of July, A. D. 1923.

ALFRED McEwan. 

